Good ol' times
by Crembit
Summary: The frigate Forward Unto Dawn has been devoid of life for over 4 years. yet, it feels much much longer.
1. Chapter 1

**Soo... yea... I just felt an urge to write something Warframe related and came up with this. I take it that Warframe takes place around year 10.000.**

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It felt odd to be back in my MAG warframe. She was my first, and my most beloved early on before I knew the truth. Now she is… like an old relic. Waiting to be picked up and used again. I feel pity for her, what she could do, is being done better by the others. Her round helmet just collecting dust and other space particles.

"Operator? Are you alright? Ordis tried to keep the war- **F** lEs **H** ** _s_** _U_ _i_ _ **t**_ **S** – warframes in top condition." It sounds softly over the speakers of my Liset. Ordis, my broken cephalon, always tried to do the best he could for me.

"No Ordis, I am just reliving some memories." I say calmly watching as I watch the black abyss that is my MAG warframe. Smiling every now and then thinking of how many enemies I made collapse upon themselves. I always feel a certain form of peace when I go back into my MAG, like it feels I belong in it.

I was shaken away from my thoughts by Lotus, our mother as she called it. We all love her, she is the reason we are here and still have a purpose. Her sweet voice sounded over the speaker. "Tenno, I have a new mission for you. Check navigation for more details. Hurry, this is important."

I didn't hesitate for a second and immediately left my Arsenal. Running past my Kubrow and Foundry with countless items waiting to be collected. Letting the ramp lower and allowing me into the cockpit of my ship. Kneeling before my Navigation center and awaiting instructions.

"An unknown vessel has made its presence known by broadcasting primitive signals. The signals date far back to what can be concluded as radio. Find this vessel and investigate it while I try to contact them." As soon as she finishes her sentence I see a small spot near Pluto become highlighted. And start to zoom in. it looks like a ship that was torn in half and still burning from the ripped side.

"Ordis, navigate to the coordinates of this vessel. I'll prepare my archwing to try and get inside." I command and leave the cockpit going back to my arsenal. There was no reply, only the humming of my Liset's engines and the feeling of being shot through space by the solar rails.

Cortana had nearly given up on trying to contact the UNSC. They were far from known space and only drifted further away due to being slingshotted by the gravitational pull of planets. She had failed him. 4 years past and he is going to be there forever if it takes much longer. She could feel the rampancy take over sighed softly looking once again at the cryotube before her. She tried once again. "Mayday, Mayday, This is Forward Unto Dawn frigate of the UNSC. We are stranded and cannot move at free will! Requesting extraction, Mayday Mayday" Cortana knew it was futile to try again and groaned softly. Until she heard a soft beep resonating through the ship.

"We hear you Forward Unto Dawn. How much crew is on the ship? I have sent a Tenno to come pick up any survivors. Beware, you are not alone." It sounded like a smooth woman's voice and Cortana's hopes sparked up. She immediately responded to the voice.

"There are only two left. One of which is me the smart A.I. Cortana of the UNSC. Thank god someone heard us. When will your crew be arriving?" Cortana eagerly awaited for a response. But something that surprised her thoroughly. A male voice, resonating with metal.

"Hmm, I see you have stranded Cortana. Maybe, I can help you. The Corpus are very generous people always wanting to come and save *Ugh* lives." It sounded wrong. Like this man had no good intentions.

"Negative, we are already being helped by another. We appreciate the help but I hope we don't need it." Cortana quickly replied starting to thaw the cryotube.

"Oh, it wasn't an offer you can refuse Cortana." It sounded evilly as the connection cut. The woman's voice sounding again.

"That was Alad V, beware Cortana, this man is dangerous and should be handled with care. Do not let him advance towards your location. My Tenno is on the way any ship that is not a Liset, Gun it down."

This stressed Cortana, she looked at the cryotube again and waited. "I need you." She says softly as she starts prepping the few guns that were still working.

Waking from Cryosleep never was a pleasant feeling, but John knew better as to wait. Quickly reacting and trying to look out of the glass from his tube. His armored hands pushing the glass.

"Whoa there, easy, let me activate your HUD. Ejection is above you." The soothing voice of Cortana made him calm down and recollect his actions. Seeing his HUD appear and a single Magnum pistol float by his glass. "I'll turn on the artificial gravity, hang on." And with couple of thuds he saw rubble and metal parts fall down to the ground. Grabbing the handle for ejection and pulling hard on it to release himself.

"Where are we?" He asks grabbing the fallen Magnum and looking at the pad containing Cortana.

"Unknown space, but we are being boarded. Help is on the way."

"UNSC?" He quickly asks removing Cortana from the data pad and injecting her back in his helmet systems. Sending a chill down his spine.

"Negative, another faction that contacted us. We are being boarded by something called the Corpus. Get ready, they don't seem too friendly."

John makes a quick check on his magnum and left with a sprint to the control room of the ship. Checking what systems are online and which aren't. "How long have I been out for?" John absentmindedly asks leaving the control room to go towards the elevator.

"Uh, 4 years, 20 days and 3 hours. We kept drifting further away because we had no fuel left. We bumped into this system just now." Cortana makes more background checks as she tries to read the star charts.

"Where are we being boarded?" John asks trying pry open the elevator shaft.

"Wait don't do that!" but Cortana's warning was too late as the vacuum of space sucks Spartan-117 into the elevator shaft. "We lost a lot of air pressure. Try to go up a level."

John doubles his effort and climbs up the elevator shaft. Grabbing on to whatever he could and opening the doors to the second level. Jumping through and latching on to the wall and laying himself on the ground. averting his gaze upwards just to see a man in completely green and a pearly white mask charge at him with what looks like an electric baton. The man strikes down at John, who quickly intercepts it and grabs the man tightly, throwing him in the elevator shaft and closing the doors.

"What was that?" He asks breathing heavily and looking around to see if there are more.

"If I had to guess, that was a Corpus. Strange, he didn't even try to talk with us." Cortana tries to remember what he looked like and stores it in one of her data banks.

John's thought process was interrupted by a series of shouts of what could only be described as commands. Seeing another one of the pearly white masks with a slither of light blue where the eyes should be. But this one was blue colored and holding what looked like a rifle. Quickly hiding behind a wall and only glancing around the corner to observe the now named Corpus. It just stood there looking around. "Cortana, how long till backup."

"I'll try to contact her again. G-give me a minute." Cortana stutters as she tries to find contact with the woman again. But to no avail.

"We can't allow them to get any information about the UNSC. Cortana, set the explosives on the ship to detonate once we are gone. I'm going to the armory to prevent them getting anything." John says waiting for the Corpus to look away. Sneaking up on him and strangling him without as much of a sound. Dropping him to the ground and breaking into a sprint towards the armory.

"Tenno, your mission is to locate and escort the VIPs back to extraction point. Careful, we don't know anything about these people and might attack you on sight. The Corpus have infiltrated this ship and are raiding it for supplies. We cannot allow them to bring any of it to their base." Lotus' soft voice always calms me. The only response I could give is a simple nod as my archwing guides me inside the frigate. It looks unlike any I have seen yet. Who knows what kind of secrets this frigate holds.

Judging by the Corpus cruisers attached to the sides, I guess they are already inside pretty deep. The VIP better know how to defend themselves. As I approach one of the burned openings in the metal my archwing detaches and I float gently in the hole. Grabbing on to the walls and opening an air lock door. Closing it behind me and feeling the artificial gravity. I stretch the fingers of my Nyx warframe and break into a sprint down the narrow corridors. Since this is an unknown frigate, I have no map. I will have to wait for the Lotus to send me that. Until then, take down as many Corpus and rely on luck.

My Boar prime, my baby, I take it only on the most serious of missions. Together with my Brakk handgun and the Nikana prime. They just felt right in my hands. Seeing the first Corpus crewman in the distance I use my mind control and let him wander off to attack his comrades so I can sneak past. Gracefully I run by him whilst the others are busy shooting him down. Piece of cake.

"Cortana, I need you to give us your coordinates and a map of the frigate. Only then we will be able to escort you." It sounds over my helmet. I just listen in on the conversation whilst sneaking my way past most Corpus.

"Y-Yes of course, we are heading to the armory. I'll send the coordinates to you." I see a map appear and a waypoint. I start making my way to it and hack through any Corpus that stand in my way, but being silent about it.

"Cortana, my Tenno is now on the way to your location. Tell me, how come be that your Frigate suddenly appears on our solar map."

"We have been unmoving for over 4 years and the gravitational pull of planets and the outbursts of fuel tanks made us drift far away. But we are happy we are back in Human space."

"Cortana, we will have to discuss many things once you are at base."

The conversation went on for quite some time and I keep slashing through the Corpus to not raise alarm. I tune out the conversation, I'll listen to it another time. But my ship Cephalon suddenly starts talking. "Operator! This frigate is old, like, really old. Dating back 75 centuries. To a corporation that was before the Orokin Era." This confuses me. How can a 7500 year old ship still have live subjects? No cryosleep, not even the special Tenno pods, are built against so much time. Now I am really curios as to who we will encounter seeing the armory getting closer and closer. Tue dead bodies littering the ground give a creepy vibe. If the frigate is old, the weapons on it must be too. So it should be no match for what the Corpus have now. But there still are bodies, this person was either really powerful or could play really smart.

My thought process is stopped by something aiming a gun at me. It looks like a green iron armor pack with golden visor. At least a foot and a half larger than me and saying nothing. I just stare back and listen to the conversation of Lotus and the so called Cortana again.

"This, is your Tenno?" it sounds from Cortana. The green giant lowering its rifle

"Yes it is, follow it out of the ship to extraction." I give my Brakk to the giant. He looks at it quizzically but nods slowly. Grabbing some kind of remote and packing guns on his back. The Corpus start firing, having raised alarm that there is a Tenno on board with the only survivors. I run whilst firing my Boar Prime in front of us, decimating the Corpus. The green giant just fires behind us and keeps them at bay. I dash through the corridors swiftly and see that the giant can keep up. My Liset waiting for me at the opening and another escort ship arriving for the green man.

"Excellent work Tenno, we will take over from here. Your part is done." I hear as the magnetic strips of my Liset take me in and let me take off. Watching the rear camera of my Liset back at the frigate as the escort ship leaves. And then as the giant frigate explodes to become nothing more than scrap metal.

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 **To any of you who read this, I am sorry that i might not update this. I just had to write something and maybe i'll continue it, but i have no idea where to go.**

 **Sincerely, the voice you hear inside your head while you are reading this.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, I did not expect this to do well actually. it's just another 'John wakes up in another time/reality/dimension/place' fanfiction that has been soooooo overused. But, I guess that's part of why it is good. Cut the shit out that everyone already knows because no-one is waiting for 500+ words about how John sneaks through the ship or checks either it is safe.**

 **Anyways, I hope you still enjoy what i am writing.**

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John has packed as many guns as he can carry on his back, hips and hands. Setting the explosives sharp and trusting Cortana to make the right decision to trust these people for help. "Blow it" He hears softly from Cortana. Grabbing a remote from one of the ammo pouches and unlocking a button to gently press it. Watching the Forward Unto Dawn erupt in a ball of fire and metal behind them. "We can not allow any of our intel to fall in the wrong hands." She says softly. John had to agree, if anyone, who is not UNSC, would get intel of the locations of earth and of their tech it would have horrible consequences.

"Well, we are stranded here now. We can only hope that these species are not hostile." Cortana sighs and tries to find another communication line with the so called Lotus. Failing miserably and groaning. "I take it this ship will bring us to her."

"It better." Sounds the gruff voice of John as he checks his weapons over for malfunctions and maintenance. Feeling the ship with only minor turbulence. The room had no windows and was illuminated with one bright white light. It looked more like a doctor's waiting room than a place for soldiers to be picked up.

"You will be arriving at the Larunda Relay shortly, from there you will be escorted to meet with The Lotus. Remain seated until the light turns green and the bay doors open." It sounds over some sort of intercom. John can only nod and lean back trying to comprehend what all is happening. Woken up by Cortana, in a different star system, being boarded by a faction called the Corpus, being helped by someone called the Lotus, meeting one of the Lotus' crew who appears to be a girl, blowing up the ship and being brought to the Larunda Relay. John only had one thing in mind though, the fastest way back to UNSC space.

"Chief? I have been looking around and, you might not like this, but these star charts resemble earth's a little. Only thing is, they moved a little. Every star is out of place it seems. And some are already gone. So, we either are at a really odd angle, or we have been out longer than expected." Cortana says with a hint of fear in her voice. John only nods and patiently waits. Much to his liking, it did not take too long. 15 minutes or so and what felt like 7 times being slingshotted around.

He felt the ship slow down and stands at the ready with his hands by his hip to grab the M6S pistol if needed. The light turns green and the bay doors open to reveal an open space with a platform leading to a door with some kind of mark on it. A single man wearing navy blue and a mask over the eyes walks up to Chief and waves at him a gesture to follow.

"Well what are you waiting for John, follow him." Cortana quickly says shaking John from looking around and nods slowly following the short man.

* * *

I knew I shouldn't have but I needed this guy to be in my Codex. Just before extraction I took a picture and scanned his armor. One picture is all I needed apparently because my scanner immediately popped up the image that it was done. Rather excited to see what he is I go through my Codex and see his image. Sierra-117 Master Chief. Strange name, and an even stranger description. Or rather, the lack thereof. There was only the name, but no description, no weaknesses, nothing.

"Operator? Remember what I said that the frigate dates back 7500 years? Now that I see the Codex entry I have been digging further back than the Orokin era into the History of humanity. Did you know there was a three decade war with the now known Sangheili?" Ordis chimes happily like an excited child.

So, this person was either ancient, if he was older than 7500 years, which would grant him some power and knowledge. But his cephalon, or A.I. as she likes to call it, looks less advanced than Ordis. And neither did she ever mention the Orokin or any terms that make sense. I kept looking at his 3 d moving picture in my codex. He was tall, that was for sure. So maybe he was a new warframe? The armor sure did look like it could be. Maybe I'm overthinking this and it is just a VIP who found that frigate. But in all of the systems it has not been noticed. This is getting weirder with every passing minute I think about it.

"Tenno? I need you to come to the Larunda Relay and talk with our new VIP. Make hurry, we have much to discuss." Lotus' voice sounded again. I sigh softly leaving my Codex be and walk to navigation. Plotting a course to the Larunda Relay. Lucky I have to go there, I need to visit Simaris anyways. I am still equipped in my Nyx warframe and walk down to the foundry. Looking at the many things I should be building in case I need them.

"Operator? I have tried to dig further, but my memories h- **A** _r_ _ **E F-**_ r_ **rI** _e_ _d-_ Have not been able to see much. Maybe Cephalon Simaris knows more." I hear my broken cephalon again. Maybe he's right. Simaris does know a lot, he might know who this person is… I am starting to develop the same curiosity as him too. I shouldn't focus that much on him and just carry out my job. From my position I could just make out Earth flying by which means that the Larunda relay is close. I should go and prepare myself to enter.

I gently strut through the Relay, seeing Baro'kiteer offering his void findings and countless other Tenno buying from him. I have a mission though. So I have to decline buying from him for the moment and go up the lift in the relay. Looking at Simaris door for a moment before walking away from it. Through the halls where the Tenno weren't allowed actually. This was a room where they preferred nobody to jump and run around like some Tenno tend to do. I look at my map to see which door I need to take and walk up to it as it opens up. It is a dark blue room illuminated by a blue hologram of the relay. On one end of the table was the green behemoth looking at the door. I gently wave sitting opposite of it and wait for further instructions from the Lotus.

The silence feels uncomfortable. That behemoth is either checking me out or looking for weaknesses on me. I curiously look at him too, of course, I have already seen him in the codex, but just to try and see what this green behemoth is.

"Cortana, I don't like this at all." John says over his personal com channel looking at the femine creature before him... he would have said human, but it was completely covered in stretchable metal, which made it look rather alien.

"Just trust it for now John. They haven't attacked us so we should keep our calm and see what is going on." Cortana reassures him as she tries again to get inside the system. Failing and receiving another warning telling her to 'STOP IT' in polite terms. Cursing to herself she waits.

"I am pleased that you could come Tenno, now for our guests. Greetings, welcome to the Larunda Relay in the Origin system." The smooth voice of Lotus sounds as a hologram appearance of her forms on the table. John quickly aims a rifle at it scared that she might be alien due to her helmet.

The Tenno opposite of me acts quickly and grabs her sidearm aiming it at John. This does not fit well with John as he aims at the direct threat.

"Please, we can talk peacefully here. This section is not meant for gunfights." Lotus says calmly seeing the situation unfold. "Mr. Chief, would you be so kind not to aim your gun at my Tenno? She will lower it if you do." John reluctantly lowers his gun and sits back down. Seeing the Tenno mimic his movement and calm down. "Now, on to more pressing matters. Who are you?" The Lotus turns to John with a stoic face.

"I am Petty officer Sierra-117 of the United Nations Space command." John answers. "And my A.I. Cortana." He materializes her on his hand letting her wave. John knows he is in no shape to ask questions now that he is in their territory.

"Interesting, I haven't seen a human based A.I. in a very very long time. And I see you have manners as you did not immediately ask more questions." The lotus lets a smile escape. "Your frigate looked torn up and old. Where did it come from?"

"Where exactly we don't know. We lost track of our speeds. Planets' gravity spheres kept swinging us around until we landed where we are now." Cortana quickly explains. "As to why our frigate looks like it does, we were ripped in half the rest is classified. My companion has gone into cryosleep for four years whilst I kept the message beacon active and made sure the ship didn't collapse."

"Why is it classified? If we want to help you we must know everything about you." Lotus asks kindly. Waiting for a response and surprisingly receiving it from her Tenno.

"Cephalon Simaris might know. My broken ship Cephalon Ordis had identified the frigate 7500 years back." The Nyx warframe stands with the Tenno's female voice sounding. "These people could have been there before the Orokin era even begun."

Lotus looked a little confused and a mild form of shock after hearing that. Turning to the human A.I. "Excuse me Cortana, but can you show me your known star charts, history of planets and general background history of your race?"

"Uhm… sure, if I am allowed to access this panel I would gladly sent what you need." Cortana says as a data port opens up for old chips. One that every table had should it be they find something interesting. Wasting no time John gently places it as Cortana starts walking over the table to Lotus. Cowering a little seeing that the Lotus is nearly a head taller. "R-Right, here, these are the charts we know of."

The Tenno on the other side just sits still much to John's relief. Listening to the conversation between the two blue people.

"So… these are the star charts that you use now?" Cortana asks looking at them and matching her suspicion. "The stars indeed did move… and some died… And you are telling me… that these are made at the exact same coordinates and position." Cortana says fearfully as she looks them over a hundred times a second.

"I am afraid so miss Cortana. You indeed are 75 centuries old. Congratulations, and sorry." Lotus says calmly as John stands up hearing this.

"Is this true? Where is this Simaris." John stands up with his fingers around his magnum sidearm. Ready to pull Cortana out.

"Simaris is just outside the doors but you must realize, how much of this technology did you have? I do have to say, your companion Master Chief is quite peculiar. Looking like a prototype of the warframes. Would you mind joining our cause?" Lotus smiles kindly

"NO! No we are not going to join your cause! We have a war to fight and we need to find a way back" Cortana sounds distressed whilst John tries to calm her down. "Cortana." He says sternly "Can't you see John! Without us humanity would be doomed! They need every Spartan on the field" Cortana's image flickers and glows a hint of red. "I WILL NOT BELIEVE YOUR LIES!" Cortana shouts sending an electric pulse over the table. The Lotus doesn't seem fazed whilst the Tenno had backed off.

"Cortana!" John stands up. His tone rising near threatening. Cortana calms down once she hears John's voice and starts whimpering softly. "I… I'm s-sorry I... I never…"

"Rampancy, and developed quite far I see. We can try to fix that but only if you trust us." Lotus calmly replies to the crouched down Cortana watching her flicker out of existence every now and then. She disappears from the table and the chip starts glowing blue again. John grabs the chip and looks at the Lotus again.

"Try to find a way back for us, cure Cortana's rampancy and we will cooperate for as far as our protocol allows us." John says lowering his guard. The lotus smiles a little and the Tenno opposite of him stands up to. Walking up to John and offering a handshake. John shakes it firmly and seems satisfied that the woman doesn't flinch.. "Your name?"

"I have no official name anymore, only a tag like you. Mine is T-312"

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 **I know, very stupid name for a Tenno, but come on, i am not creative :(**

 **Sincerely, The voice you hear in your head while you are reading this.**


	3. Chapter 3

I feel the firm grip of this man. Which is an impressive feat as most people who I shake hands with, and actually feel, are other Tenno. I already am starting to like this guy. Given he is probably very old I should refrain from such thoughts. But hey, there is no problem with developing a like.

As soon as he lets go he asks me one question. "Where is Simaris? I need to know for sure now." I smirk under my Nyx mask and nod slowly. I know Simaris won't give knowledge for free. And while he is there, I can listen in. Win win. Making my way out of the room and back towards the elevator opposite of Simaris room. I like going in Simaris' room. He just gives me extra payment for doing what I do best. Kill and collect. Watching the door slide open I walk inside. Seeing another Tenno in conversation with Simaris, so I patiently wait for him to finish.

"This specimen is my latest obsession. Hunt for it Tenno, so I can perform the synthesis I require." The giant golden hologram of the Cephalon looks down at the Tenno before me. The Tenno nods and runs out of the room. Passing me and taking a long look at Sierra-117 before running off to the elevator.

"Tenno, I can see you seek knowledge. But Knowledge comes at a-… what is this? Come to bring me an unknown specimen?" Simaris slowly locks the door and gets real close to Sierra-117 with its giant hologram. John backs off a little having had his fair share with A.I.'s like that and aims his magnum at it immediately. "T-312… why is the door locked." John grits through his teeth.

"Only to ensure you won't escape specimen. Now please, come with me so I can perform synthesis." Simaris quickly responds, only to be stopped by the Tenno. "Stop? You must have a very good reason to stop synthesis on a subject that holds knowledge to the universe." The hologram backs off a little and keeps looking at John.

"Cephalon Simaris, this specimen is not for synthesis, but we came for knowledge. This is 7500 years old and needs to know for sure we are not withholding information from him. In exchange, he will tell you what you want for as long as his protocol allows." The Tenno expertly handles. Making both Simaris and John ease up.

"I will share what I know, but knowledge that old is rare to come by. I will have to look long and far into my database. Stay here, and don't let anybody in." the hologram disappears leaving the room in a neon blue glow. T-312 sits down with her knees close to the Nyx's chest and elbows placed on the knees. Sierra-117 on the other hand stays standing and alert for anything trying to trick him.

It takes about 5 minutes before Simaris' voice sounds again. "I only have limited data, but I am sure that your friend can fill in blanks. After that I will show him what has happened in the last 7500 years. If you would be so kind as to step up to the console and let your friend type and talk." Simaris goes back to his original position showing the now glowing console. Chief walks up to it and takes the data chip with Cortana out of his helmet. Injecting it into the console and waiting. "A fellow Cephalon?"

"No Simaris, I am Cortana, an A.I." she smiles a little appearing on the pad. "I'll gladly give you the information you need as far as protocol allows me. This will only take a minute."

"I am certain you are a Cephalon Cortana, you seem to have been built the same way as any other I have encountered. But if you would prefer the term A.I. then I will call you as such."

The console starts glowing and rapidly typing information. Both Simaris and Cortana make little gasps as they see what the other knows.

I watch John as he stands motionless before the console. The more I look at him, the more he starts to look like a robot to me. Just no emotion at all. I slowly walk up to him. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." He says with his monotone voice. I don't know whether I should treat him like a woman and keep asking to see what's wrong, or like a man and he is actually fine.

"Are you sure? You look a little… not fine to me." I try to start conversation with him. Liven up a little. Sure we are killing machines, but we have a heart too.

"I'm Fine." He responds a bit more harsh to which I recoil I decide not to question it anymore.

"Sorry? Just trying to start conversation. Because I imagine you are going to be stuck here." As I say that, I realize he can either take that really bad, or really well and open up.

"Thank you for the reminder." He says without looking at me. Guess he took it as a mocking gesture. Damn, this isn't going the way I intended to. I mean, I get it that he is alone and lost now. But he can be friendly. "You like jokes?..." I repeat the sentence in my head and groan. Smooth Tenno… smooth…

"No" he answers as emotionless as usual. I sigh and sit down, simply waiting for Cortana and Simaris to finish. I saw them moving data files from one to another and a soft hum and gasp every now and then coming from both sides. It took 2 full minutes before they both went silent.

"Is it done?" I ask getting up and walking up to the pedestal with the A.I. who Cortana shows emotions of sadness whilst Simaris just looks.

"I have shared as much as I was able to. Your A.I. might have taken too much data and corrupted some of her own. She is unharmed. The data she provided seems helpful and I will keep it for further research and theorizing."

Cortana is, in simple terms, having a mental breakdown. She indeed is lost, with John, and more than 7446 years over rampancy. And all that Simaris told her about the covenant war and how they actually won the human covenant war… it simply is too much. "We lost John… W-we actually lost the human covenant war… all our sacrifices and offerings for nothing. Humanity survived out of pity by some covenant. Only a handful of 10.000 managed to survive… none were Spartan nor ODST… just civilians. 10.000 survived because a forerunner monitor took them away to safety." Cortana breathes slowly and gets back up.

"The covenant had reached more Halo Rings and activated them almost immediately. Wiping all live as expected. But the lucky 10.000 survived because of a forerunner monitor. The monitor 'Oro Da' had control of a rather unique forerunner installation. One that would ignore the Halo's effect and save humanity. But only Humanity. The rest of the galaxy was gone. Just gone. We were alone again."

"The ten thousand that survived build with what the monitor could offer them. They thrived as a small community. The survivors were of course grateful that the monitor helped them. So they called their kind now after the monitor. Oro's kind, also known as the Orokin. The monitor got rampant after a long course of time and had to be put down. Making the Orokin have a need to expand again, to look for more resources. So, they tried making slipspace travel again. Only, it failed. They followed the exact reactors, but instead of slipspace, they found the void. Something baffling and confusing. Being nicknamed a blinding hellspace. Making them able to travel much larger distances than ever before."

"Using this newfound technology, humanity thrived. Or rather, the Orokin thrived. Exploring space again and building settlements in their graceful forms. Discarding anything that looked UNSC as they didn't remember it anymore and replacing it with Orokin technology. They were fast builders, but needed more manpower. So they started cloning. They cloned the strongest of the whole Orokin to be slaves that were easy to manipulate, and the smartest of the Orokin to become engineers. The Grineer slaves, and the Corpus crewmen. But even that wasn't enough for them. They wanted more than the UNSC had. They used the void travel to go further than anyone has gone and anyone would go. They made another project for that task. To explore planets and adapt to the surfaces. But to be able to adapt, they had to be sentient. Send out to build relays and settlements on the planets. But because they were adaptable and sentient, they made themselves nigh-indestructible. This project was put on hold, for security reasons."

"The Zariman Ten Zero, was a ship, one of the earliest ships to enter the void. A mechanical error made the ship uncontrollable and made it float around in the void. It was deemed lost forever by the Orokin. However, the ship was much later found completely intact and undamaged, but with no crew on board. The only living beings on board were children, even though there was never a record of children ever boarding the ship. When the scientists found the children, the scientists were attacked by the children and came back with severe burns. The discovered children were considered freaks by the Orokin and were ordered to be immediately executed. They would have been killed if one scientist hadn't resisted."

"The scientist made a motherly connection with the children and promised to maintain them. Keeping them in control through the process of transference. A process that would place the unconsciousness in a safer body or conduit. The Orokin still demanded for the children to be killed, but the loving scientist kept resisting. She defended the children with her live, literally. The scientist was executed but the children survived. Now that they saw they had control over the children, they couldn't throw away a weapon like that. A weapon made by the void, and they can control it. "

"The Orokin wanted to keep exploring further. To make their empire bigger. So they re-opened the project of the Sentients mentioned before. The Orokin had already foreseen the threat if they became too aware of themselves. The machines would turn on the Orokin, and because they are ever adapting, would crush the Orokin if needed. So they made one flaw in the Sentient project. The void, would be like poison to them. The only mean how to get back would be their death, so they cannot return but do build the settlements."

"The sentient beings realized it rather quickly and tried to find ways to travel back to the Orokin to destroy them. And… after many many years, they found a way. The Sentients had found a way back to the Orokin and started their slaughter. Whatever the Orokin build against them, the Sentients would adapt and continue."

"Meanwhile, The Orokin kept traveling further out and eventually, found a Halo ring. And with it, they found the flood. The Orokin saw it as another perfect weapon. Contaminating it and experimenting. They mutated it so it could not only infect organisms, but also machinery. They released the infection as a weapon against the Sentients. But it backfired horribly. This event became a milestone in history called The Great Plague. The flood, or now named Infestation may have looked primitive and dumb. But they showed treats of coordination and group strategy. The weapon wasn't perfect, but not uncontrollable either."

"The continuing war with the Sentients and Infested outbreak began to take its toll on the Orokin Empire. The Grineer slaves started favoring survival over their programmed work effort and commands. But they were still not the smartest, so they started rebelling and killing the weaker Orokin and taking higher Orokin as prisoner to fly spaceships."

"After all these heavy blows the Orokin Empire had taken, they saw no other option than to unleash the freak children. To let the essence of the void itself, which was poison to the Sentients, fight. The transference was still holding strong. They gave the conduits names. Warframes. An army of techno organic humanoids. Piloted by the out casted children of the Zariman Ten Zero. The Zariman Tenno."

"After facing the wrath of the Tenno, the Sentient leader Hunhow accepts defeat and retreats, but swears to take revenge. Hunhow sends an offspring of himself to spy on the Tenno. Natah, became an ally to the Tenno, but also a spy for the Sentients. Waiting for the perfect moment to destroy the Tenno from within."

"At the celebration for the Tenno winning the war against the Sentients, the Tenno unexpectedly slaughter all the Orokin. This brought an end to the Orokin Empire. The motivation for their action, was most likely Natah, but it could also have been revenge for being out casted."

"Natah's last mission was to exterminate the Tenno from within. She was ready to do it, but a fatal injury changed her mind. She was still sentient but did travel through the void, making her unable to make new offspring. Natah decided instead of killing the only children she had control over, to become a mother figure for them. She became, the Lotus. Hiding the transference children away in the void and putting the Warframes into cryostasis."

"After the downfall of the Orokin, the Grineer became an unchecked force that was ever expanding, led by twin queens. The corpus became masters of greed and commerce also ever expanding. The nightmarish infestation kept evolving on planet Eris and aboard abandoned vessels in space. And the Sentient threat came back."

"Natah, or the Lotus, was still active and had to reactivate the Tenno so the Sentients won't kill her and all life in the Origin system. The Tenno successfully protect the Origin system, but the Sentients keep them surrounded. Preventing them from ever leaving. And… that is where it stops. Here we are, surrounded by the Sentients, fearing the infestation and preventing the Corpus and Grineer from growing too strong."

The Spartan and I are silent. I am silent because I already know my story. After a short while I hear him speak up. "No way back?" he says. I know he tries it without emotion, but I could see him almost slip.

"No way back… I'm sorry John, we are stuck here. But hey, at least we know our saviors aren't hostile." Cortana smiles bitterly.

"I thank you for your contribution to the Sanctuary A.I. Cortana. May your knowledge be cherished and teach future generations about the galaxy." The booming voice of Simaris knocks me out of my thoughts and I jerk my head upwards.

"Yea… uhm. T-312? May I ask you… something?" Cortana's hologram turns to me. I just nod as an indication it is alright.

"You're a child soldier too aren't you?" Cortana asks. And I could just feel the pain shoot through my Warframe and into the transference pod at the mention of that term. I breathe slowly and nod.

"I am so sorry… I… or should I say, we know what you have been through." She answers not daring to look away from my Warframe. I am rather uncomfortable that they know I am just a kid behind this strong conduit, but… as new allies they will have to know about it.

The room was silent for some seconds except for the soft hums of the machine. Simaris spoke up suddenly. "A.I. Cortana, You said you have gone over Rampancy and corruption. I am not saying that I will help you, but another Cephalon here called Suda would be glad to help you in exchange of some data."

"That would be very much appreciated. How long would it take?" Cortana suddenly beams turning to Simaris

"Approximately with your progression of corruption and rampancy it would take 50 earth cycles… and a dedicated Operator to make the physical adjustments."

Cortana's projection flickers red and her expression turns sour and angry. "50 days?! I WoUL **D** rAthEr R-R-Rot I-n RamPaNc-Y Th **A** N 50 dAYs L-lEaVIn-g J-JoHN"

* * *

 **I am so sorry that I don't update frequently. on any of my stories. Its just... I don't know what to write anymore. Luckily I was able to make friend on this website who helped me with this chapter and figuring out some lore. So a big thanks to SirMandoKarla for helping me :3**

 **Sincerely, the voice you hear in your head while you are reading this.**


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